Ultralight Backpack

ABSTRACT

A backpack of very simple construction is disclosed, which uses modern materials and elements to achieve great comfort and extreme light weight. A sheath is made of light, strong cloth or other pliable material, constructed so as to contain a folded backpacker&#39;s sleeping pad or other suitable removable pad, and hold it against the bearer&#39;s back. To said sheath are attached a plurality of spaced-apart vertical support members made of a light, rigid but flexible material, for attachment and support of the load. A pair of shoulder straps and a hip belt are attached for securing the backpack to the bearer&#39;s back.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

People have used backpacks of various types for carrying loads on their backs for many years. Two basic types of packs are known from the prior art; rucksacks, with or without internal frames, and external frame packs. Patents and advertising disclose hundreds of variations on these two themes.

Rucksacks essentially consist of a bag with shoulder straps. They are known from ancient times. The disadvantage of rucksacks without frames is that they sag and sway under heavier loads. In modern times this problem has been addressed by the addition of hip belts and internal frames. The addition of frames has greatly reduced movement of the load, but has required the addition of padding to protect the back of the wearer. These additions have significantly increased the weight of rucksacks. Modern internal frame packs are essentially rucksacks with padded frames and hip-belts. They are comfortable to carry, but heavy.

External frame packs essentially consist of a rigid frame having a pair of upright side rails and two or more vertically spaced arched cross-members. One or more tensioned cloth back support bands are mounted between the side rails to hold the frame away from the bearer's back. The load is either lashed to the frame or stored in a bag attached to the frame. Originally the frames consisted of wood and steel, which made them quite heavy. As modern materials, particularly aluminum, have become available these packs have become lighter. Hip-belts have been added as well, reducing shoulder fatigue. External frame packs have proven to be useful for carrying heavy loads, but suffer from the disadvantage that they are wide and bulky. They also increase fatigue by carrying the load away from the bearer's body, thereby altering the body's natural balance.

My invention overcomes all of these disadvantages by providing a plurality of strong, light vertical support members held as close as practicable to the bearer's body, separated only by a removable pad of a type which the bearer will normally carry for other uses, such as a backpacker's sleeping pad.

A number of backpacks exist wherein the padding for the pack has been adapted for use in an auxiliary manner, as for seat cushioning or sleeping upon. However, the prior art discloses no backpack designed to use a variety of types of padding normally carried by backpackers for other camping purposes, such as backpacker's sleeping pads, as part of the backpack, itself.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides an extremely light and comfortable backpack for carrying a load upon the back of the bearer. This is accomplished by minimizing the number and weight of the elements of the backpack and providing a means of incorporating a variety of types of removable padding, of a sort normally carried for other camping uses, into the backpack, thus avoiding the need for extra padding or other means of protecting the bearer's back from the load. This reduces the total weight of the load and holds it as close as practicable to the bearer's center of gravity.

An embodiment of the invention consists of a sheath for insertion of a removable pad, to the posterior portion of which are affixed two or more vertical support members to which the load is attached. Shoulder straps are attached to the top and bottom of the sheath or the vertical support members, and a hip belt is attached to the vertical support members or the sheath.

The sheath is made of a durable lightweight fabric such as nylon and is approximately rectangular in shape. It is of a size and shape to conveniently fit the bearer's back and suitable to hold a variety of removable pads, including folded backpacker's sleeping pads of different types. The vertical support members to which the load is attached are made of durable, lightweight material which is rigid but flexible, such as carbon fiber or fiberglass. A bag or bags may be attached to the vertical support members for convenient storage of the load. The shoulder straps and hip belt are made of durable lightweight material and are appropriately padded for the comfort of the bearer.

This backpack is extremely simple, consisting of a sheath or similar means of containment for padding which will be carried by the bearer for other uses, a plurality of lightweight vertical support members, shoulder straps and a hip belt. It requires no additional straps, stays, horizontal structural members, tensioning devices or the like, thereby reducing weight to a minimum.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the backpack, constructed in accordance with the present invention. It is shown with a load attached, worn by a backpacker.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the anterior side of the backpack, showing the hip belt and shoulder straps in working configuration.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the posterior side of the backpack, showing the hip belt encircling the backpack and the means of attachment of the vertical support members and shoulder straps to the sheath.

FIG. 4 is a partial view, being an elevation view of the anterior side of the hip belt strap, showing the means by which the hip belt is attached to each of the vertical support members.

FIG. 5 is a partial view, being a perspective view of the sheath and vertical support members without the shoulder straps or hip belt, showing the sheath flap open and the removable pad inside the sheath.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 5 of the drawings, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. Backpack 10 comprises a sheath 11 for insertion of a removable pad 24, typically a backpacker's sleeping pad, which is held in place and protected by sheath flap 11 a. To the posterior portion of the sheath 11 are attached vertical support members 14 by means of vertical support member retaining tabs 12 at the top and middle, and vertical support member pockets 13 at the bottom. Load items 26 are attached to vertical support members 14. Shoulder strap upper parts 15, to which are affixed shoulder pads 16, are attached to the top of the sheath 11, and held securely there by means of shoulder strap reinforcement gussets 19. Shoulder strap lower parts 17 are attached to the bottom of the sheath 11. Shoulder strap upper parts 15 and shoulder strap lower parts 17 are connected by shoulder strap buckles 18. Hip belt strap 20, to which are affixed hip belt pads 22, is attached to the vertical support members 14 by means of hip belt to vertical support member retaining tabs 21. Alternatively, hip belt strap 20 may be sewn or otherwise affixed to the sheath 11. The two ends of hip belt strap 20 are fastened around the waist of backpacker 25 by means of hip belt buckle 23.

The sheath 11 is made of a durable lightweight fabric such as nylon. It is approximately rectangular in shape. It is of a size to conveniently fit the back of the backpacker 25 and suitable to hold a removable pad 24, typically a folded backpacker's sleeping pad. Typically the sheath 11 will be approximately 18 inches in width, 22 inches in height, and 2 inches in depth, though these dimensions may vary according to the size and shape of the desired removable pad 24, and the dimensions of the backpacker 25. The sheath 11 is shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 5 in the shape it assumes when the removable pad 24 is inside of it. Without the removable pad 24 inside, the sheath 11 is flaccid.

As shown in FIG. 3, the vertical support members 14 are attached to the posterior side of the sheath 11 at the top and middle by means of vertical support member retaining tabs 12. The lower ends of the vertical support members 14 are inserted into the vertical support member pockets 13 at the bottom of the sheath 11. As shown in FIG. 4, the hip belt strap 20 is attached to the vertical support members 14 by means of hip belt to vertical support member retaining tabs 21, being free to slide along the vertical support members 14.

The vertical support members 14 are made of a durable, lightweight material which is rigid but flexible, such as fiberglass or carbon fiber. Typically these will be elongated, cylindrical rods between one-eighth and one-half inch in diameter. Some variation in diameter is possible, depending on the nature of the materials to be used. Non-cylindrical vertical support members 14 may be used, as well. The vertical support members 14 are shown mounted separately from each other. Alternatively, they may be connected by means of horizontal or diagonal cross-members, thereby creating a frame. Another alternative is that they may be constructed of a single piece of flexible material, bent into a u-shape and attached as described above.

The height of the vertical support members 14 may vary according to the load to be carried, but will typically be several inches taller than the sheath 11. The vertical support members 14 will be spaced equidistant from and parallel to the vertical center line of the sheath 11 and spaced apart a suitable distance for securing the load. These dimensions may vary according to the nature of the loads to be attached and the dimensions of the bearer. Extensions of various sorts may be attached to the vertical support members 14 to increase the effective height or width of the load attachment area.

The shoulder strap upper parts 15 are attached to the posterior side of the sheath 11 and reinforced by the shoulder strap reinforcement gussets 19 as shown in FIG. 3. The shoulder strap upper parts 15 extend over the top of the sheath 11 and help to keep the removable pad 24 and the sheath flap 11 a in place. FIG. 5 shows the removable pad 24 and the sheath flap 11 a in detail, absent the various shoulder strap and hip belt parts. The shoulder strap upper parts 15 are connected to the shoulder strap lower parts 17 in front of the backpack 10 by shoulder strap buckles 18, as shown in FIG. 2. They are worn over the shoulders of backpacker 25 as shown in FIG. 1. The shoulder strap upper parts 15 and shoulder strap lower parts 17 are made of durable lightweight material such as nylon webbing or the like. Shoulder pads 16 are affixed to the upper shoulder strap parts 15 in such a position and manner as to cushion the weight on the shoulders of backpacker 25. Alternatively, the shoulder strap upper parts 15 and/or shoulder strap lower parts 17 may be attached to the vertical support members 14.

The hip belt strap 20 encircles the sheath 11, the vertical support members 14 and the waist of the backpacker 25. It is fastened in front of the waist of backpacker 25 by means of hip belt buckle 23, serving to hold the sheath 11 firmly against the back of the backpacker 25 and to support the weight of the load on the hips of the backpacker 25. Hip belt pads 22 are affixed to the hip belt strap 20 in such a position and manner as to cushion the weight of the load on the hips of the backpacker 25.

The hip belt 20 is made of durable lightweight material such as nylon webbing or the like. The hip belt 20 is typically made of a single strap, attached to each of the vertical support members 14 by hip belt to vertical support member retaining tabs 21, as shown in FIG. 4, being free to slide up and down the vertical support members 14. Alternatively, the hip belt 20 may be sewn or otherwise attached to the sheath 11. Another alternative is that the hip belt 20 may be constructed in two parts, each part being attached either to a vertical support member 14 or sewn or otherwise attached to the sheath 11. Also, the backpack 10 may be constructed without a hip belt 20.

The description above and the accompanying drawings should be interpreted as illustrative, only. Modifications to the preferred embodiment or embodiments disclosed above may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the means of attachment of the load to the backpack 10 may vary greatly in accordance with the invention, such as attaching a bag or other container directly to the sheath 11. 

I claim:
 1. A backpack comprising: a flexible sheath of dimensions suitable for the insertion of a folded commercial backpacker's sleeping pad or other pad; a plurality of substantially rigid vertical support members attached to said sheath in a spaced-apart configuration; a pair of flexible shoulder straps attached to said sheath; a flexible hip belt attached to said vertical support members.
 2. The backpack of claim 1, wherein the vertical support members are constructed of a single member bent into a u-shape.
 3. The backpack of claim 1, wherein said vertical support members are connected by one or more horizontal cross members.
 4. The backpack of claim 1, wherein said vertical support members are connected to each other by one or more diagonal cross members.
 5. The backpack of claim 1, wherein said shoulder straps are attached to said vertical support members.
 6. The backpack of claim 1, wherein said hip belt is attached to said sheath.
 7. The backpack of claim 1, wherein no hip belt is attached to the pack.
 8. The backpack of claim 1, wherein a container for the carrying of items is attached to said sheath.
 9. The backpack of claim 1, wherein a container for the carrying of items is attached to said vertical support members. Thereby providing a means for using a removable pad, of a sort which is commonly carried by backpackers for other uses, as padding for the backpacker's back, and also providing a means to secure and carry the rest of the backpacker's load. 